So some of you may remember me from last year, as that is when I joined. Well A quick update, none of my colonies made it into my omni-nest, all dieing or refusing to move in *cough* solenopsis queen *cough*. Anyway I just caught my first queen of the season and in excited as ever because I've never seen this kind of queen before! Anyway here is a link to an imgur album, because my phone is being weird and won't let me embed it into the post for some reason.https://m.imgur.com/gallery/aAZxM

Length: about 5-6 mm maybe longer
Location: California riverside area
Behavior: I've noticed she isn't bothered by light as much as other ants I've had. She also has been chewing on the cotton a bit but not enough to break out like other species, I know pogonomyrmex can... Learned that the hard way, luckily I caught her and managed to contain her.

Looks like a Pogonomyrmex male to me. Any images of the side? Better lighting would also be helpful.

If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

You can see the tiny mandibles, the short antennal scapes, and the external genitalia at the end of the gaster.

If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

I know it totally sucks, but luckily Socal is POPPIN when it comes to Gan Farmers so if all else fails you can get one through the Gan project.

I'm also learning the hard way things don't always work out the way they should when antkeeping.. like when your queen leaves her one worker behind stuck in a mixture of mold and the small drop of honey that got EVERYWHERE. Luckily I saved it via cotton swab and her second worker is eclosing as I type this.